A crane driver who fell to his death at a Grocon construction site in central Melbourne has been described as a "wonderful man" by his co-workers.

The 59-year-old father, Billy Ramsay, fell 10 storeys to his death from scaffolding at the $290 million Emporium project, on the site of the former Myer Melbourne Lonsdale Street store, at the corner of Elizabeth street, just before 7.40am.

The central Melbourne development was the site of a union blockade last year.

The Grocon building site on Lonsdale street where the man died. Photo: Joe Armao

All Grocon sites have stopped work for the day, as is the custom when there is a death on site.

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Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union state secretary John Setka said that union members were in mourning for Mr Ramsay, his wife and his three children.

He was a very experienced crane driver, who had been in the industry since the 1980s and the Builders Labourers Federation days.

"He worked on cranes most of his life," Mr Setka said.

One of Mr Ramsay's sons is an official with the Victorian Plumbing Trades Employees Union.